Carbohydrate Economy
New technologies, new laws and an increasingly aware public are ushering in a new materials base for the 21st century - plant matter. Carbohydrates, the building blocks of plant matter, can be converted into chemicals, energy, textiles, building materials, paper, and many other industrial products. We call this new materials base a "carbohydrate economy." A carbohydrate economy reduces pollution, builds stronger rural communities, and supports a rooted farmer-owned manufacturing sector. (the carbohydrateeconomy.org. 16.6.09)


Carbon atoms

The compostition of methane explains how Carbon atoms are manipulated to carry other atoms as compounds used for pesiticides and insecticides. Because living organisms are made from carbon, this element acts as an efficient carrier to take poisons into living tissues. This is the heart of the threat to life itself. What we do to crops we are doing to ourselves indIrectly as well. Even in small doses the poisons accumalate in fat cells and in the liver.

Chemists discovered how to detach a hydrogen atom from the compound or methane which has a central connecting carbon molecule. this produces methyl chloride. Taking away 3 hydrogen atoms and substituing chlorine gives chloroform, etc. The extremly poinsonous pesticide DDT is a chlorinated hydrocarbon, another is Chlordane. The most violently poinsonous hydrocarbons are chloinated napthalenes include dieldrin, aldrin and endrin.

Residues from hydrocarbons not only remain on crops, but also in the soil.

Carbon dioxide

Colourless gas, breathed out. Plants convert carbon dioxide to oxygen during a process called photosynthesis, In excess amounts it is a Greenhouse gas, a by-product of the internal combustion engine and of burning of fossil fuels.

Carbon neutral

Energy use without expenditure of carbon. Carbon offsetting suggests that a project is carbon neutral, but environmentalists do not all agree with this.

Carbon tax

Proposal to tax individuals, corporations, countries for their carbon generating activities.

Carbon offset

An idea to counterbalance the production of co2 by doing something to reduce the equal amount of co2 somewhere else in the world. The idea is to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions to combat global warming.

Carbon offsets can be purchased by individuals from a variety of commercial and non-commercial organisations, but there is no standardisation, or body to oversee or judge integrity or efficacy. (www.answers.com)

Carbon Trading

A system of trading of permits to emit carbon dioxide between countries, enabling gas guzzlers to meet their obligations under the terms of the Kyoto protocol. to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Carcinogen

Cancer causing substance.

Catalase

Enzyme to reduce hydrogen peroxide to water and oxygen. Also acts as a bio-scourer. Also generates oxygen from peroxide to convert latex into foam rubber

Caustic soda

Used in cleaning materials. Also required to separate lignin from cellulose fibres.
Alkaline < wikipedia.org> 5.5.07 [online] Also known as lye, and sodium hydroxide, it is used as a fixative in indigo dye vats to remove the oxygen from the water.

<www.earthguild.com> 5.5.07 [online]

Cellulase

An enzyme produced by fungi, and is used for bio-polishing, in laundry products
as a biological fabric conditioner, and in the recent development of alternative
energy sources where it is used in the fermentation of biomass into biofuels.

Cellulose acetate

A biopolymer, Used for transparent, translucent and opaque objects. It is a kind of bio-plastic. It is biodegradable in the appropriate conditions.

Cellulosic fibres

Fibres from plants including cotton, ramie, sisal, hemp (www.ridgewell.com) The molecules are glucose. (Technotextiles) These plants are fast growing, often soft
woods such as eucalyptus which is mature for use in 7 years. they are also co2
neutral at the raw material stage. (KF)

Can be dyed with reactive dyes. In an alkaline bath a chemical bond is formed.
Saline effluent kills aquatic life, increases algae, reduces O2 in water. Energy and water use high. (http://www.apparelsearch.com/)

Certification

As standards are set, certification enables customers to make informed choices. Current standards are set by organisations such as the soil association (organic food, but more recently, wool) The Global Eco labelling Network gives access to the myriad of individual eco-labelling systems where current standards are being independently assessed and applied internationally.

Chemicals (substitution of)

see substitution

Chlorinated hydrocarbon insecticides

An example is DDT, a pesticide. see carbon atoms

Chloroflourocarbons (CFC’s)

Stable, artificial chemical compounds containing carbon, fluorine, and sometimes hydrogen, used to cool refrigerators and air conditioners. They deplete the stratospheric ozone layer which protects the earth and its inhabitants from excessive ultraviolet radiation. They contribute to global warming. and are a greenhouse gas. (an)

Chromium

Heavy metal used in dyes and in tanning leather, its use is poisonous and unacceptable.

Clay dyed clothes

Clay dyeing processes eliminate artificially produced chemical dyestuffs, are natural, biodegradable and require no salt. Our Keyna V low-impact dyes also meet the strict guidelines of the Organic Trade Association Fiber standards. In other words, they are a better choice for you and our planet.

As a comparison, conventionally produced dyes, and even more frequently the by-products of producing these dyes, are toxic. Additionally, many conventional processes use amazingly large quantities of kitchen salt. Though tasty in our food, salt causes irreversible harm to the ecosystems in our rivers, lakes, and underground water sources when released from a commercial dye house. In many cases, conventional dyeing processes have been expelled from the USA. (to foreign countries) We have revived an ancient dyeing process that combines clays of different colors with natural fibers such as hemp, linen, cotton, and organic cotton. Essentially thick red clay is put into a watery solution and kneaded through the knit or weave. The iron oxides in the clay act like a dye, staining the fabric, later to be 'set' in a drying process. Different coloured clays can be used to obtain various shades. < www.earthcreations.net >

Climate change

Any change in global temperatures and precipitation over time, due to natural variability or to human activity. (www.answers.com) Any significant change from one state to another (an)

Climatex

Produced by Rohner textil AG, the Climatex products are leaders in ecological textiles. They have been advised by Michael Braungart, co-writer of Cradle to Cradle, and have developed a range of dyes with minimal environmental impact.
Large efforts were made to test dye chemicals for ecological safety. Although a mere 16 out of 1600 available dye chemicals lived up to the rigid specs, almost all colour variations are possible, except black. The Ramie based fabric is produced in a closed loop factory system, where the water which comes into the factory is actually less clean than the water that exits the factory. Climatex fabrics are all completely biodegradable.( < www.climatex.com > [online] )

Closed loop

This is where a process, often involving technical nutrients and sometimes involving the necessary use of toxins, is contained, or ‘closed’. Chemicals are reclaimed, re-used, or maintained in their pure form and not released into the environment, either through the air or in water or in other forms of waste, in order to be reused.

It is a central concept within cradle to cradle, implying reuse and reuse and reuse, without loss of integrity of the material. (Defra) call it the ideal production arrangement where the product of one process is the raw material for another

Clothing

£25 BILLION worth of clothes are imported into the UK every year. Much comes from countries where labour laws are non-existent or not enforced. In China there are no core labour rights such as collective bargaining. (Ethical consumer June/ july 2002 p 12) Conversely (on radio 4 12.1.06) in an interview with John Snow, the US treasury secretary, the internal economy in the states is growing because of the consumer boom fired by cheap imports from China. In an interview with a textile worker:

“I couldn’t take a rest, was prohibited from going to the toilet and my supervisor would have a go at me if I sat down for a minute during a 10 hour shift spent mostly standing. Reaching production targets was everything for the company. If
workers didn’t reach thier target, they were threatened with dismissal or had to work overtime without pay... Low wages meant that the only way to live ‘normally’ was through overtime ( Emilia Yanti, Garment workers union organiser and
gender programme officer, Indonesia) (source: fashioning an ethical industry, a labour behind the label project leaflet)

Closed systems

Like closed loop systems, but where technical nutrients, usually dyes and chemicals are contained and then disposed of.

Companion Planting

See co-planting

Cogeneration
A system of generating both heat and power (electricity) simultaneously. Since energy is the chief environmental issue, better or alternative forms can substantially alleviate or lessen environmental impacts of production and phases of use (eg laundering). Cogeneration is a method for achieving more from the same, but is not necessarily an alternative energy source. It is transitional if it continues to use oil or other non-renewable fuels. Use of biofuel as the energy source is more sustainable because it is an alternative energy source.

Co-planting

co planting is where different plants are planted together with benefits to both. Also known as companion planting, one plant may act a a natural pesticide or herbicide for the other.

Coconut

See Coir

Coir

Coconut fibre. The husk beneath the hard shell is retted then spun. Very strong,
used for flooring. The whole tree/plant is useful, economic and versitile.

Colour cotton

The naturally colour of cotton including brown, green, biege. See Fox fibre

Compost

Naturally decomposed materials rich in mineral sources, for use as a soil conditioner, mulch, resurfacing material or landfill cover. (AN)

Compostable

Materials which can break down through the action of microbes. Biodegradable.

Commerce

Day to day, instant exchange of value.

Comparative Risk Analysis

Tool to compare and rank environmental problems and issues, risk to health or quality of life. This system produces ranked risks.(an)

Composite

A combination of materials which can create improved performance (technotextiles)
e.g. poly-cotton. easy no iron, drip dry, hard wearing.

Computer Aided Design and manufacture (CAD) (CAM)

Can be used to send digital patterns to local production units, saving transport
costs, economic cutting, virtual avatars can test out designs, scanning techniques make patterns which fit perfectly available to a mass market. (well dressed? p 32)

Conservation

Preservation and renewal of human and natural resources. (answers)

Contaminant

Any Physical, chemical, biological or radiological substance or matter that has adversely effected the air, water, soil, or other medium. (an)

In Cradle to Cradle systems, this is where a technical nutrient (aka non-renewable) is mixed which prevents proper recycling. The resulting combination can only be downcycled, so end up being wasted.

Contamination

Introduction into air, water or soil of micro-organisms chemicals, toxic substances wastes or waste water in a concentration that makes the medium unfit for its next intended use. (an)

Or introduction of any substance into another which renders that medium unfit for purpose.

Co-products

Materials that are intentionally or unintentionally made when producing another product. (an)

Corporate Social Responsibility CSR

(AFL, wik and AS) Recognition and implementation of environmental and social strategy within companies. Sometimes manifests as a budget to support those working with sympathetic issues, such as social enterprises or environmental groups and projects.

Cotton, mass production

Provides nearly 50% of global fibre needs, but uses 25% of all insecticides applied to agricultural crops and 11% of all pesticides on 2.5% of the worlds cropped area, creating serious impacts on human and environmental health ( moral fibre, a beginners guide to the UK market pub: pesticide action network UK p5)

In mechanical picking, 2/3rds of the yield is dirt, seeds and plant residue (much
less if hand picked) water consumption is massive, diverting water from other uses, which as irrigation rather than drinking quality contains soluble salts which reduce soil fertility, loss of biodiversity, water pollution, adverse changes in the
water balance, including eutrophication which deoxygenates the water so it cannot support animal life. Pesticides in developing countries include pyrethoids and organophosphates which are nerve poisons (Kate Fletcher quotes Myers 1999) the pesticides used account for 50% of the cost of world cotton production.

The depletion of the Aral sea has been caused by cotton production in Russia.

Cotton, Organic

Grown without pesticides and herbicides, using natural predators, and co-planting with other plants to achieve symbiotic relationships between plants, insects and replenishments of nutrients into the soil. less water use. Use of colour cotton where colour is inherent in the cotton ball. Picking done carefully by hand. Safe for workers, the environment and the surrounding towns and wildlife. Problematic though as it would not be possible to supply enough organic cotton to satisfy world wide demand for the crop, even if it were to be all grown organically.

Cost benefit Analysis

An economic method for assessing the financial costs involved in relation to the expected benefit. (an) If one replaced financial cost with environmental cost it could become a model for environmental benefit analysis. (as)

Cradle to Cradle

A system where waste equals food, where every material is used and reused, mimicking the system of nature. Also the name of the visionary book by William McDonough & Michael Braungart. Much of the terminology, and many of the concepts in this directory originate from this book.

Cradle to Grave

(greenblue.org) Linear system often called ‘take, make, waste” where materials are manufactured, used briefly, then discarded.

Crude products

All products which are attractive, affordable, meet regulations, perform well, fit into the marketplace but which are NOT designed for human and ecological health.

Cupro

Regenerated cellulose fibre made by the cuprammonium process. Uses ammonia added to copper to dissolve the cellulose. If there is efficient recycling of the copper from the effluent, it is less harmful than viscose because there are no noxious gases formed.

Customisable

(AFL) where a product can be easily altered to a customers specification. (A great example of this in action is Wardrobe Surgery) Redesign define customisation as personalisation, and flag up the additional, emotional connection between the owner and the object, calling this strategy ‘re-creation’